Caramelized Pork Belly and Eggs (Thịt Kho Trứng) - An An Easy Lunar New Year Dish
Tender, melt-in-your-mouth pork belly is braised low and slow in a sweet and savory sauce made with caramelized sugar and coconut water. This dish is great for both special occasions and everyday dinners.
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 1 hr 30 min
- Yield
- 5 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1.5 lbs pork belly
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 shallot (minced)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 cups coconut water
- 5 eggs
Instructions
- 1
Cut the pork belly into one inch pieces and season with salt, pepper, minced garlic and shallot, and fish sauce. Stir to combine and let marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- 2
When you're ready to start cooking, heat the sugar in a heavy bottomed pot on medium-high heat. Stir the sugar occasionally so it melts and caramelizes at the same time.
- 3
Continue to stir the sugar as it bubbles and browns. Once the sugar stops bubbling, immediately add the pork chunks and any leftover juices into the pot. Stir the pork quickly to coat it in the caramelized sugar.
- 4
Quickly add pork belly to sugar and stir to coat pork in the caramel
- 5
Add the coconut water to the pork belly chunks until they are just barely submerged.
- 6
Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 45 minutes to an hour until the pork is tender and most of the fat has rendered out.
- 7
While the pork is simmering, boil and peel the eggs.
- 8
Once the pork is tender, uncover the pork and add the peeled eggs. Simmer for another 15-30 minutes until the sauce as evaporated to your preferred consistency.
- 9
Season with more salt and pepper if needed. Serve with white rice.